MiRF weekend 2

[wendyzski]

We arrived in Flint about 3 hours after the winds and possible tornadoes left the area. No one from faire injured, but a the (offsite) campground took a pretty hard hit and there were a lot of people up late clearing up debris and re-pitching flattened and soggy tents.

We had our usual issues with our hotel - despite having a written contract they've managed to get the type of room wrong two weeks in a row, and there were some really annoying maintenance issues in our (eventual) room. They get one more week to stop this nonsense (I'll fax a letter and a copy of the contract to the hotel manager tomorrow) before I get on the horn with corporate to get some hammer-time down on these idiots.

As expected, we had rain Saturday morning but it cleared by mid-afternoon, and Sunday's weather was sunny and only a little bit sticky. Lots of fun bits, decent sets and cute moments.

• Being Highland weekend, I not only armed myself with a mirror attached to the top of my right shoe, but on Sunday got a feather to go about sneaking up behind kilted men and tickling the backs of their knees. Since this is physically more obvious, it makes for a better "streets" bit. With the mirror - well, I don't REALLY want to see anything, but it's funny. And when someone asked if I had checked Caleb, I replied that I didn't have to as I remember from 3 yrs ago that he wears grey gym shorts. Apparently he hasn't changed :)


• Mr. Crankypants Partender from last weekend was actually one of the leaders of the NFP group staffing the beer sales that weekend. So YAY we don't have to deal with him the entire run. Maintenance also showed us how to turn the water-wheel inside the Little Guinness Pub OFF during our sets. The off-tempo "thunka-thunka" was awful to have to play over.


• I made up a new game. I sit on the balcony at the Little Guinness and toss small ice cubes at people! Extra points for getting it down cleavage, on bald spots, or in people's drinks! No one really minds ice when it's hot, and the debris are self-cleaning.


• We are usually the first act on at Pub Sing because we are almost always the only group that shows up on time. But Saturday was truly absurd. The acts that DID bother to show up were a minimum of 20 minutes late, so it was the MC, the guy who did the last set so he was still there, and us. We grabbed a new performer who was there for the weekend and shoved him on stage - we had already performed twice and were about to get tapped again when I caught sight of him at the back of the audience. I really don't understand the performers' attitude towards Pub Sing at MiRF - every other show we do performers WANT to go, but there it's like pulling teeth to get them to show up at all, and most of them do the same songs every weekend. There is something to be said for doing stuff the audience likes, but the rest of us are about to claw our faces off if we hear "All Around My Hat" one more time.


• We found a new Chinese Buffet that is pretty close to the faire site and has pretty good food. John found coupons online for it, so we each paid less than $10 for a pretty decent variety. Those of you coming in over Labor Day Weekend, this is probably where we'll do any big group dining - grab your coupons before you visit!


• I got to dance with the Scottish Country Dance group (I was wandering by and they needed an even number). I enjoyed the dancing, but I also enjoyed being called a "pretty little wench" by one of the older ladies of the group. I love that people have no idea how old I am most of the time.


• I've taken to spending a bit of time before the 5:00 dance set sitting on the edge of the fountain and playing the bowed psaltery. It's pretty, and people stop and ask what the heck it is, and I show them how to play it. I actually got tips for it on Sunday!


• The most adorable little boy wanted to dance with the maypole girls at 5:00 on Sunday. Every time the music started his chubby little face broke into a huge grin, and he started clapping and toddling around them. To try and keep him from getting run over, I went over and had him "help" play the tambourine. Kodak Moment!


• Apparently the Little Guinness Pub is not considered a "stage" as no water dispenser has appeared. We've been drinking out of the one for the food staff, because the nearest one to that space is the Mud Stage, and it's really hard to get to (dark back there and slippery with mud) and GreenGrove is too far to walk to easily between sets. I try to avoid drinking the supply at the Hostel, even though I chipped in, because I have other sources, but sometimes it's the only practical option.


• A little black and white chihuahua dressed as a pirate with a tiny little coat with lace collar and cuffs and a little feathered hat barkbarkbarking fearlessly at a pair of large dogs. Reminded me of Sir Didymus from 'Labyrinth'.

I have no idea why I'm so tired today - I probably fell asleep in the car by 8:30 and we got back by around midnight, but I'm still pretty groggy today. I'm hoping to get up to Evanston tonight to get a replacement for my chalkboard (yay for passive lazzi) but will probably crash early again tonight.

Comments

[stealthbunny.livejournal.com]

Chalkboard can wait. Go home home and remind Pepper who you are. If she's talking to you :)

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm not sure - she kicked the hell out of her litterbox again over the weekend - have to clean all that up tonight. I was able to give her some pets last night as I staggered in. Going to try the sleeping on the couch thing tonight to see if she will forgive me.

[stealthbunny.livejournal.com]

You could always give her a throat drop. SHE doesn't know it will make her tummy hurt later...

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

One throat drop probably won't give her a tummyache. It's the 8-10 that will....

[stealthbunny.livejournal.com]

Mmmmm, yummies, eat them ALL before they disappear... wait, where'd they go?

In your tummy, silly one. Where they will make it hurt.

Nonsense! More!

MiRF?

[sciffy-circo.livejournal.com]

Wait, Flint? You mean Flint, Michigan, or is there a Flint, Minnesota? I thought you were near Minneapolis or something.

Re: MiRF?

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

MnRF(Minnesota) and MiRF(Michigan) run at the same time. We're performing at the Michigan show. Never been to the Minnesota one.

[ouijarose.livejournal.com]

I know that Buffett! It's a good place... I was gunna give you the thumbs up when you posted about it, but I forgot! It's also good there, because there is more seating than most other places in the area, unless you want to go into Flint.
Where did you guys end up finding a place to stay?
I will say Hi this weekend, I will I will I will! Hopefully

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

I waved at you on Sunday but you were busy socializing :(

We're at the Rodeway - not too great but cheep.